Method and apparatus for drawtwisting yarn



June 23, 1964 L. D. POTTS 3,137,987

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRAWTWISTING YARN Filed July 18, 1962 Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

L D. POT TS Jim 11 ATTORNEY June 23, 1964 1.. D. POTTS 3,137,937

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRAWTWISTING YARN Filed July 18, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 P- PRIMARY RIBBONS 5 A S- SECONDARY RIBBONS s RIBBON LOCATIONS-NORMAL SPINDLE SPEEDS 3 4 RIBBON LOCATIONS-ALTERNATE C P SPINDLE SPEEDS N-NORMAL SPINDLE SPEED 6000 RPM 3 N s A-ALTERNATE SPINDLE SPEED 5500 RPM I l .o. POTTS 0 H50 2c' 0 30o 4o'b 500 660 BY RUN TIME (M|N.) T

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,137,987 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRAWTWISTING YARN Larry D. Potts, Gulf Breeze, Fla., assignor to Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 18, 1962, Ser. No. 210,743 3 Claims. Cl. 57-555) This invention relates to a method and apparatus for drawtwisting man-made filament yarn, such as nylon yarn or the like. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved method of drawtwisting filament yarn and a drawtwister with control means adapted to reduce the degree and the incidence of ribboning of yarn, threby providing more uniformly wound yarn packages.

Drawtwisters are employed in man-made yarn processing to stretch, twist, and package yarn in one continuous operation called drawtwisting. Normally, a drawtwister of conventional construction has a series of oppositely disposed drawtwist positions. Each position comprises, in general, an assembly for stretching or attenuating yarn including cooperating draw and feed rolls driven at different peripheral speeds, and a draw pin located in the yarn path between the draw and feed rolls to localize the attenuation of the yarn. Driving means is provided to retate the draw and feed rolls and to rotate a spindle adapted to carry a bobbin upon which the yarn is wound. A ring twister assembly is operatively associated with the spindle and includes a reciprocable ring coaxially surrounding the spindle and a traveler guide mounted slidably on the ring. The ring twister assembly applies twist to the yarn just before it is packaged.

It is known that use of conventional drawtwist arrangements of the type described gives rise to a problem called ribboning. Ribboning refers to a yarn winding condition characterized by the individual yarn wraps being repeatedly cries-crossed and overlapped in an infinite number of ribbon patterns forming ridges and grooves of different magnitudes at periodic locations on a package. Ribboning produces undesirable, non-uniformly wound packages, as well as packages which present problems of uneven take-01f tension, sloughing, and trapping of filaments in subsequent processing of yarn.

Ribboning may be caused by many factors. A primary factor relates to the angular displacement of the components of the drawtwister resulting from imperfections in the drawtwister construction or by intentional angular displacement of the parts for operational reasons. For example, in normal operation of drawtwisters it is now common practice to tilt the traveler ring of the ring twister assembly slightly in relation to the axis of the spindle to improve package stability and to control tension qualities of the yarn. Tilting the traveler ring, although being a desirable operating procedure, predisposes the package building operation toward more severe ribboning. Another factor relates to the ratio of the speeds of the rotating components.

An object of this invention is to provide a method for drawtwisting yarn and an improved drawtwister yielding a more uniformly wound yarn package than that produced by employing conventional drawtwisters.

Another object is to provide a drawtwister with control means adapted to reduce the degree and incidence of ribboning encountered in drawtwisting.

Another object is to provide an improved drawtwister having variable speed spindle drive means and control means therefor to control the operation speed of the spindle selectively.

Another object is to provide a drawtwister adapted to build a yarn package exhibiting even take-off tensions, less sloughing, and less trapping of filaments in subse quent processing of the yarn.

Patented June 23, I964 In general, according to the invention, the improved yarn drawtwister includes feed and draw roll means driven at different peripheral speeds to stretch man-made continuous filament yarn, such as nylon filament yarn, delivered thereto from a source. A cooperating ring twister assembly, including a traveler member mounted to orbit on a ring and a rotatable spindle to collect the stretched yarn, twists the yarn before it is packaged on a bobbin mounted on the rotatable spindle. Controlled variable speed means is provided to control the speed of winding of the yarn on the bobbin carried on the spindle selectably for preventing ribbons from formingv at predetermined diameters thereon. The variable speed means may be of conventional construction such as helical gear, electric clutch, friction type or the like.

The improved method comprises advancing continuous filament yarn from a source thereof to draw zone where it is attenuated to increase the molecular orientation thereof. After being stretched, the yarn is forwarded through a yarn twisting area for adding twist thereto. Thereafter, the twisted yarn is taken up in package form. To prevent ribbons from forming while the yarn is collected, the rate of collection of the yarn is cyclically varied.

The accompanying drawing and the more detailed description given hereinafter provide a broader understanding of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the improved drawtwister embodying the invention in operation;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-section view taken along 2-2 of FIGURE 1 illustrating more clearly one variable speed means of the drawtwister with the outer housing being removed for convenience of illustration; and

FIGURE 3 is a graph showing the diameters at which ribbons may form during packaging of a preselected yarn.

Like components in FIGURES l and 2 are designated by like reference numerals for convenience reasons.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, it will be noted that two drawtwist positions are shown on one side of the improved drawtwister for purposes of simplification. It will be understood that a multiplicity of oppositely arranged positions is the usual organization of a drawtwister. The invention will be described primarily in relation to one drawtwist position only, the others being similar.

The components of the drawtwister comprising the invention are suitably mounted on a large framework identified by the reference numeral 1. A spin bobbin 2 packaged with lagged nylon yarn is supported overhead of the framework 1, preferably in a position above a pivotal cot roll 3 and a rotatable feed roll 4. The cot and feed rolls are in peripheral surface engagement. Feed roll 4 is one of a plurality of identical feed rolls positioned in spaced relation on a feed roll shaft 5. A second feed roll shaft 5a is shown in part. The feed roll shafts are arranged to be driven by any suitable driving means. The illustrated arrangement shows the shafts being connected therebetween by gears 6. Shaft 5 is connected to a main drive shaft 7 by a belt 8 operatively mounted within pulleys. Themain shaft 7 is powered by a motor 9.

A strand of nylon continuous filament yarn 10 extends generally downwardly through a pigtail guide 11 and then engages a snub guide 12. From snub guide 12., yarn 10 extendsinto engagement with a slow-moving traverse guide 13, and then through the nip between the cot and feed rolls.

Feed roll 4, which is normally driven at a predetermined constant speed by shaft 5, forwards yarn 10 generally downwardly to a draw pin 14. The yarn is wound engagingly around the draw pin 14 one or more turns and is then advanced to and wrapped several turns around a driven draw roll 15 and around a separator roll 16. Roll 16 is positioned adjacent to draw roll 15. Draw roll 15 is mounted on one end of a rotatable shaft 17 having another draw roll (not shown) mounted at its opposite end. Shaft 17 is connected to a shaft 18 by gears 19. Shaft 18 is also connected to the main shaft 7 by gears 20.

The number of draw rolls on a drawtwister normally corresponds to the number of feed rolls on the corresponding side thereof. The draw roll 15 is driven at a relatively higher speed than is feed roll 4 in accordance with a predetermined draw ratio so as to stretch the yarn, the point of stretch being localized at the draw pin 14. As indicated above, the feed and draw rolls are driven by motor 9. It should be understood that the driving arrangement for the feed and draw rolls has been somewhat simplified for purposes of clarity.

From draw roll 15, yarn is advanced through a balloon guide 21 and then forwarded to a traveler member 22. Traveler member 22 is slidably mounted on a traveler ring 23 for orbital rotation thereon. Traveler ring 23 is constructed to move vertically in a reciprocating manner by means of a lay rail 24 to which the traveler ring 23 is secured. Lay rail 24 is reciprocably actuated by a drive assembly 25 connected to and driven by the main shaft 7.

From traveler ring 23, yarn 10 travels to and is collected on a bobbin 26 supported on a rotatable spindle 27. Spindle 27 is connected by a tape or belt 28 to a drum 29 mounted axially on a driven shaft 30. As illustrated, tape 28 normally drives four spindles; and a plurality of drums 29 are normally carried on driven shaft 30. Driven shaft 30 and main shaft 7 are normally of the same diameter and are axially aligned in spaced end to end arrangement.

Referring to FIGURES l and 2, a variable speed cou pling 31 is interposed between and connects the main shaft 7 to the driven shaft 30 to impart variable speeds to the driven shaft 30. A control device 32 is connected to the variable speed coupling 31 and permits selection of operating speeds. Coupling 31 normally enclosed in a housing may be of known variable speed design. The illustrated coupling is of the electric clutch type and comprises a main shaft 7 and driven shaft 30. A jack-shaft 34 is suitably journaled in spaced and parallel relation to the main and driven shafts. A pair of pulleys 35 and 36 are fixedly mounted on the jackshaft 34, each at a respective end thereof. A pulley 37 is fixedly mounted on the end of main shaft 7 and is connected to pulley 35 on one end of jackshaft 34 by a belt 38. An overrunning clutch 39, which may be of any conventional design and which has a pulley 40 connected therewith, is coaxially mounted on and positively connected to the driven shaft 30. Pulley 40 is connected by a belt 41 to pulley 36 on the other end of jackshaft 34.

An adapter member 42 is fixedly connected to pulley 37 on main shaft 7 and is mounted coaxially about the end of the main and driven shafts. Adapter member 42 carries an annular, axially slidable clutch armature 43. A driven rotor 44 is fixedly mounted on the driven shaft 30 and is normally selectably energized through a field and coil 45 concentrically surrounding the driven shaft 30. The coil 45 is connected to control device 32 by leads 46 and the control device 32 is connected to a source of electrical power. Control device 32 is provided with an energizing switch 47 movable to a normal speed position at which it is shown and to a reduced or increased speed position. In the normal speed position shaft 30 is driven directly through the electric clutch. While in the reduced speed position, shaft 30 is driven through the system of pulleys and belts. The amount of reduction or increase in spindle speed is controlled by proper selection of pulley sizes.

Certain steps are taken before the drawtwister is operated. The denier of yarn before and after being drawn should be predetermined; and the operating speeds must be determined or given. Calculations are made to determine the diameters at which the most severe ribbons, or the ribbons to be considered in programming the control device 32, will be formed on a bobbin while yarn is being collected thereon.

It is known that different types of ribbon patterns occur at critical package diameters while a package is being built on a drawtwister. Ribbons are known to be associated with the speed with which yarn is collected on a bobbin at various package diameters as related to the traveler speed. For convenient identification, a system for classifying the infinite ribboning patterns is provided. According to this identification system, ribbons are classified by degree of severity beginning with a primary ribbon. A primary ribbon, according to the outlined system, is a ribbon of the most severe and undesirable type. A primary ribbon is formed by a repeating winding pattern wherein each wrap circumscribes one or more sinusoidal curves and each successive wrap corresponds to the succeeding wrap so that a generally parallel wind pattern is established within a localized zone on the bobbin. In this type of ribbon the high points and low points on each wrap line up and form concentrated high and low formations on the bobbin. This type of ribbon is especially undesirable because the transition in and out of the primary ribbon results in a very rough package barrel exhibiting severe ridging and grooving.

A secondary ribbon is then defined as a type of wind pattern where every alternate wrap applied on the bobbin is parallel, thus wraps 1, 3, etc., are parallel and wraps 2, 4, etc. are parallel to each other. A tertiary wrap is defined as a wind pattern having a repeating incidence every third wrap, a quantanary ribbon having repeating incidence every fourth wrap, and ad infinitum. As the type of ribbon increases numerically higher, the less severe is the ribbon. It should be noted that each class may further be divided into orders according to the fractional part or Whole number of sine curves involved in one wrap of yarn on the bobbin.

In FIGURE 3, a ribbon graph shows the diameters on a bobbin at which primary and secondary ribbons will be formed in the processing of a monofilament yarn having a denier of 35, if the drawtwister spindle speed is 6000 r.p.m. and the yarn is being delivered to the traveler at 500 yards/ minute. The diameters at which ribboning occurs are calculated by obtaining a continuous reading of the ratios of the r.p.m. of the traveler to the number of winds/minute of the yarn on the bobbin at all times while the yarn is being packaged. From the definitions given of a primary and secondary ribbon, one can readily compute the points or diameters at which these ribbons will occur. If the ratio is a whole number factor as 2: 1, 3:1, etc., it may be concluded that a primary ribbon will be formed because a similar parallel wrap will be repeated for each wind of yarn on the bobbin. A ratio of 3:2, however, would indicate a secondary ribbon occurring since a parallel pattern occurs only for every other wind of yarn on the bobbin.

Thus, from the plot of the points at which primary and secondary ribbons will be formed, it is seen that by varying the speed of the spindle 27 at the ribbon generating points by cycling to a different speed below or above the normal speed of 6000 r.p.m., whichever is desired, the primary and secondary ribbons can be circumvented or by-passed. A speed yielding ribbon forming areas at package diameters intermediate the ribbons formed at the normal speed is preferably selected. In the example case, the alternate speed selected is 5500 r.p.m. As is shown in the graph in FIGURE 3, at the alternate speed of 5500 r.p.m., the primary and secondary ribbons will be formed at points marked P and S. Having made these preliminary calculations the improved drawtwister can be operated to reduce the incidence of ribboning in the following manner.

Assume yarn is laced within the drawtwister as previously described. Motor 9 is then operated, and energizing switch 47 on control device 32 is placed in the different or alternate speed position, so that the main shaft 7 is not directly connected to the driven shaft 30, but is connected thereto through the jackshaft 34. The difference in the selected diameters of the pulleys results in the driven shaft 30 rotating at a different speed from the main shaft 7.

The yarn 10 is drawn by the differential speeds of the feed and draw rolls and is collected on bobbin 26 after being twisted by the action of the traveler member 22. When the drawtwister has been operated for approximately 20 minutes with this arrangement, the energizing switch 47 on the control device 32 is moved to the normal speed position, as shown in the drawing, so as to energize the rotor 44 for attracting the clutch armature 43, thereby establishing a direct drive through the main shaft 7. With this condition, the overrunning clutch 39 will overrun and spindle 27 will be driven at a speed corresponding to the speeds of the main and driven shafts which in this case are equal.

Proper programming of the normal or alternate speeds results in by-passing the critical ribbon areas. The changes in speed of the driven shaft 30 correspondingly varies the speed of the spindle 27 and varies the ratio of the traveler member 22 speed to the winds of yarn being placed on the bobbin. Once a critical ribbon diameter is by-passed with one speed, the other speed is used to bypass the neXt ribbon. This process is repeated throughout the run time. It will be understood that the improved drawtwister may be automatically controlled and the cycling ranges may be varied as desired.

The improved drawtwister provides yarn packages which are more uniformly wound than packages containing conventional drawtwisted yarn. The appearances of the packages are also improved. By reducing the number of severe ribbons on a package, sloughing, uneven takeoff tensions, and trapping of yarn are minimized in subsequent processing of the yarn.

It will be understood that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A drawtwister provided with a source of yarn supply comprising in combination:

(a) a plurality of driven draw rolls;

(b) a plurality of driven feed and cot roll assemblies for advancing yarn from the source of supply thereof to said plurality of draw rolls;

(c) a plurality of draw pins interposed between said plurality of driven draw rolls and said plurality of driven feed and cot roll assemblies;

(d) said plurality of draw pins normally engaging the yarn and localizing the drawpoint thereof;

(e) said plurality of driven feed and cot roll assemblies and said plurality of driven draw rolls being driven at different peripheral rates of speed to stretch the yarn therebetween;

(f) a plurality of yarn twist assemblies each having a reciprocable ring operable in surroundment of a bobbin mounted on a spindle and having a traveler member slidably mounted on said reciprocable ring for carrying the yarn orbitally about a corresponding spindle;

(g) drive means including a main shaft for operatively driving said draw rolls, said feed and cot rolls, and said reciprocating rings, and including a driven shaft axially aligned in spaced relation with said main shaft for operatively driving said spindles;

(h) a spaced jackshaft arranged parallel to said main shaft and said driven shaft;

(i) an overrunning clutch mounted on said driven shaft;

(j) a plurality of belt and pulley means interconnect- 6 7 ing said main shaft and said overrunning clutch to said jackshaft; and

(k) variable speed means adapted to connect and disconnect said main and said driven shafts to selectively control the ratio of the speed of said plurality of spindles in relation to the speed of travel of said traveler members therearound to prevent formation of ribbons in the yarn normally being packaged on said bobbins.

2. A drawtwister as in claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of pulley means is smaller.

3. A drawtwister provided with a source of yarn supply comprising in combination:

(a) a plurality of driven draw rolls;

(b) a plurality of driven feed and cot roll assemblies for advancing yarn from the source of supply thereof to said plurality of draw rolls;

(0) a plurality of draw pins interposed between said plurality of driven draw rolls and said plurality of driven feed and cot roll assemblies;

(d) said plurality of draw pins normally engaging the yarn and localizing the drawpoint thereof;

(e) said plurality of driven feed and cot roll assemblies and said plurality of driven draw rolls being driven at different peripheral rates of speed to stretch the yarn therebetween;

(f) a plurality of yarn twist assemblies each having a reciprocable ring operable in surroundment of a bobbin mounted on a spindle and having a traveler member slidably mounted on said reciprocable ring for carrying the yarn orbitally about a corresponding spindle;

(g) drive means including a main shaft for operatively driving said draw rolls, said feed and cot rolls, and said reciprocable rings, and including a driven shaft axially aligned in spaced relation with said main shaft for operatively driving said spindles;

(h) a spaced jackshaft arranged parallel to said main shaft and said driven shaft;

(i) one pulley mounted on the main shaft;

(j) a second pulley mounted on one end of said jackshaft;

(k) belt means inter-connecting said first and second pulleys;

(I) an overrunning clutch mounted on said driven shaft;

(m) a third pulley connected to said overrunning clutch;

(n) a fourth pulley mounted on the other end of said jackshaft;

(0) another belt means inter-connecting said third and fourth pulleys;

(p) an adapter member carried by said one pulley;

(q) a slidable clutch armature carried by said adapter member;

(r) a rotor fixedly mounted on said driven shaft;

(s) a coil member concentrically surrounding said driven shaft; and

(t) control means connected to a source of electrical energy and to said coil member;

(u) said control means being adapted to permit selective energizing of said rotor for attracting said clutch armature and permitting said driven shaft to be directly driven through said main shaft while said overrunning clutch overruns so as to drive said spindles at one speed, and adapted to cut off said source of energy to said rotor for disengagement of said clutch armature therefrom permitting said driven shaft to be driven by said main shaft through said jackshaft so as to drive said spindles at a different speed for selectively controlling the rates of speed of said spindles in relation to the speed of travel of said traveler members about said spindles to circumvent ribbon forming ranges on the yarn package normally being formed on said bobbins.

4. A drawtwister provided with a source of yarn supply comprising in combination:

(a) a plurality of driven draw roll means,

(b) a plurality of driven feed roll means for advancing yarn from the source of supply thereof to said plurality of draw roll means,

(c) said plurality of feed roll means and said plurality of draw roll means being driven at different peripheral rates of speeds to stretch the yarn therebetween,

(d) a plurality of yarn twist means for twisting the stretched yarn,

(e) a plurality of rotatable spindle means,

(f) a bobbin mounted on each of said plurality of rotatable spindle means for collecting the yarn in a package thereon,

(g) drive means for operatively driving said plurality of feed roll means, said plurality of draw roll means, said plurality of yarn twist means, and said plurality of rotatable spindle means,

(11) a two speed reduction gear clutch means interposed in said drive means, and

(i) control means connected to said two speed reduction gear clutch and being selectively positionable to a normal speed position for driving said plurality of spindle means at a normal speed and positionable to a reduced speed position for driving said plurality of spindle means at a reduced speed for circumventing primary and secondary ribbons normally encountered in packaging the yarn on said bobbins.

5. A drawtwister provided with a source of yarn supply comprising in combination:

(a) a plurality of driven draw roll means,

(b) a plurality of driven feed roll means for advancing yarn from the source of supply thereof to said plurality of draw roll means,

(c) said plurality of feed roll means and said plurality of draw roll means being driven at diiferent peripheral rates of speeds to stretch the yarn therebetween,

(d) a plurality of yarn twist means for twisting the stretched yarn,

(e) a plurality of rotatable spindle means,

(1) a bobbin mounted on each of said plurality of rotatable spindle means for collecting the yarn in a package thereon,

(g) drive means for operatively driving said plurality of feed roll means, said plurality of draw roll means, said plurality of yarn twist means, and said plurality of rotatable spindle means,

(h) an electric clutch interposed in said drive means,

and

(i) control means connected to said electric clutch and to a source of electrical energy for operatively programming different speeds of rotation to said plurality of spindle means to prevent formation of ribbons in the yarn being wound on said bobbins.

6. A drawtwister provided with a source of yarn supply comprising in combination:

(a) driven draw roll means,

(b) driven feed roll means for advancing yarn from the source of supply thereof to said draw roll means,

(c) said feed roll means and said draw roll means being driven at different peripheral rates of speeds to stretch the yarn therebetween,

(d) yarn twist means for twisting stretched yarn,

(e) rotatable spindle means,

(1) a bobbin mounted on said rotatable spindle means for packaging the drawtwisted yarn thereon,

(g) a main driven shaft for operatively driving said feed roll means, said draw roll means, said yarn twist means and said rotatable spindle means,

(h) means for driving said main driven shaft,

(i) variable speed ribbon breaker means interposed in and driven by said main driven shaft, and

(j) control means connected to said variable speed ribbon breaker means for selectively controlling the speed of said rotatable spindle means so as to prevent ribboning of the yarn being collected on said bobbin.

7. A drawtwister provided with a source of yarn supply as in claim 6 wherein said variable speed ribbon breaker means is a variable speed clutch.

8. A yarn drawtwisting process for forming a yarn package free of ribbons in preselected primary and secondary ribbon zones therein comprising the steps of:

(a) advancing yarn from a source to a drawing zone,

(b) stretching said yarn within said drawing zone,

(0) forwarding said yarn from said drawing zone to a yarn twisting area,

(d) twisting said drawn yarn in said twisting area,

(e) collecting the drawtwisted yarn in the form of a package at a normal predetermined rate of speed and varying the rate of speed from said normal predetermined rate only in said preselected primary and secondary ribbon zones for eliminating ribbons in the package formed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,796,391 Owen Mar. 17, 1931 2,785,527 Lewellen et al Mar. 19, 1957 3,009,308 Bromley et al Nov. 21, 1961 

1. A DRAWTWISTER PROVIDED WITH A SOURCE OF YARN SUPPLY COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A PLURALITY OF DRIVEN DRAW ROLLS; (B) A PLURALITY OF DRIVEN FEED AND COT ROLL ASSEMBLIES FOR ADVANCING YARN FROM THE SOURCE OF SUPPLY THEREOF TO SAID PLURALITY OF DRAW ROLLS; (C) A PLURALITY OF DRAW PINS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID PLURALITY OF DRIVEN DRAW ROLLS AND SAID PLURALITY OF DRIVEN FEED AND COT ROLL ASSEMBLIES; (D) SAID PLURALITY OF DRAW PINS NORMALLY ENGAGING THE YARN AND LOCALIZING THE DRAWPOINT THEREOF; (E) SAID PLURALITY OF DRIVEN FEED AND COT ROLL ASSEMBLIES AND SAID PLURALITY OF DRIVEN DRAW ROLLS BEING DRIVEN AT DIFFERENT PERIPHERAL RATES OF SPEED TO STRETCH THE YARN THEREBETWEEN; (F) A PLURALITY OF YARN TWIST ASSEMBLIES EACH HAVING A RECIPROCABLE RING OPERABLE IN SURROUNDMENT OF A BOBBIN MOUNTED ON A SPINDLE AND HAVING A TRAVELER MEMBER SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID RECIPROCABLE RING FOR CARRYING THE YARN ORBITALLY ABOUT A CORRESPONDING SPINDLE; (G) DRIVE MEANS INCLUDING A MAIN SHAFT FOR OPERATIVELY DRIVING SAID DRAW ROLLS, SAID FEED AND COT ROLLS, AND SAID RECIPROCATING RINGS, AND INCLUDING A DRIVEN SHAFT AXIALLY ALIGNED IN SPACED RELATION WITH SAID MAIN SHAFT FOR OPERATIVELY DRIVING SAID SPINDLES; (H) A SPACED JACKSHAFT ARRANGED PARALLEL TO SAID MAIN SHAFT AND SAID DRIVEN SHAFT; (I) AN OVERRUNNING CLUTCH MOUNTED ON SAID DRIVEN SHAFT; (J) A PLURALITY OF BELT AND PULLEY MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID MAIN SHAFT AND SAID OVERRUNNING CLUTCH TO SAID JACKSHAFT; AND (K) VARIABLE SPEED MEANS ADAPTED TO CONNECT AND DISCONNECT SAID MAIN AND SAID DRIVEN SHAFTS TO SELECTIVELY CONTROL THE RATIO OF THE SPEED OF SAID PLURALITY OF SPINDLES IN RELATION TO THE SPEED OF TRAVEL OF SAID TRAVELER MEMBERS THEREAROUND TO PREVENT FORMATION OF RIBBONS IN THE YARN NORMALLY BEING PACKAGED ON SAID BOBBINS. 